Parade's End

Christopher—now Captain Tietjens—is inside a military tent with some other soldiers and another Captain, McKechnie, whose name Christopher always forgets. They are readying paperwork for a new draft of soldiers moving to the front lines. Christopher thinks about the absurdity of war, the bungling bureaucracy, and the hypocrisy of the wealthy back home. McKechnie is angry and blames his uncle for where he is. Christopher assumes McKechnie must be related to General Campion. Christopher tells McKechnie that, following the disbanding of a Kitchener battalion, the commanding officer told them, “There will be no more parades” (306). All the while, an air-raid siren is sounding. A mortally wounded Welsh soldier, simply referred to as 09 Morgan, comes into the tent. He dies in Christopher’s arms. The soldier had asked for leave, but Christopher would not grant his request. The authorities back home told Christopher not to let him come home because 09 Morgan’s wife was sleeping with a prizefighter, and 09 Morgan would be beaten or killed by the fighter. Christopher nevertheless feels guilty about 09 Morgan’s death.

Christopher tries to picture Valentine but cannot. He hasn’t had any mail from home in weeks.